This maple is killing me

[stocaz]

Hey all,

One thing after another with this tree since I bought it a couple of years ago

Anyone know what my problem is here ?
The tree seems nice and healthy but the trunk is getting more & more of these spots,
I'm guessing scale ?

Any advice would be fantastic!

Thanks Ross

[k2bonsai]

Hard to tell from the photo if these spots are flat or are rounded. If the later then i would say you might have a case of black scale on your hands. Easy enough to deal with using white oil spray etc. I must admit i never get scale on my bonsai too much but my Gardenias at the front of the house get smashed every year. Scale really loves Gardenia.

[Brian]

can you pick it off with your fingernail ?

[stocaz]

Spots are a little rounded, I can pick some of them off with my fingernail but not easily.
Could it be some sort of fungus ?

[Boics]

You might want to clarify which "spots" you are talking about too.
There are many different colours and sizes that I can see there.

The white ones should be the tree barking up and ageing.

I would assume your talking about the black ones and these certainly don't look like scale to me.
Scale can be taken off with a finger nail and upon close inspection you can see that scale is indeed living.

Cheers,

[Brad75]

Hi there,

Looks like sooty mould to me. I don't think you can treat that with white oil. Wiki sooty mould and look for antibacterial or anti-fungicide solutions.

Cheers,

Brad Jackson.

[stocaz]

Hi there,

Looks like sooty mould to me. I don't think you can treat that with white oil. Wiki sooty mould and look for antibacterial or anti-fungicide solutions.

Cheers,

Brad Jackson.

I think your spot on with the sooty mould unfortunately
I couldn't find anything on the wiki page to help me,
Has anyone got experience with it ?

Could I loose the tree to this disease ??

[RogerW]

It is not sooty mould. Sooty mould covers the plant tissues like a grey coating that can be wiped off with a damp cloth. It does not adhere like scale.

[Brad75]

It is not sooty mould. Sooty mould covers the plant tissues like a grey coating that can be wiped off with a damp cloth. It does not adhere like scale.

Hi wimmy,

I have seen sooty mould begin as localised black spots before it spreads on my fig. You might be right though I don't know what else it could be. I'll take the advice on board and have a poke around my library for other types of infection.

Cheers,

Brad Jackson aka Brad75.

[Bebbas]

Mealy bug. It started exactly like this on my Maple until they killed it

[stocaz]

Thanks for your replies
Ive hit it with some pest oil for now & I'll have a go with a toothbrush and see what I make of it.

Cheers

[Brad75]

Hi there,

Probably the best solution mate. Can you post a wider view of your maple for us?

Cheers,

Brad.

[stocaz]

Hi there,

Probably the best solution mate. Can you post a wider view of your maple for us?

Cheers,

Brad.

Tried scrubbing with a toothbrush and picking off with my nail but can't get them off

[Brad75]

Hi Stocaz,

It looks like hard scale (Hemiptera/ Family Diaspididae) according to my book "What Garden pest or disease is that?". Treatment is white oil at rate of 20ml per litre of water according to book. There is a Hortico brand spray in a white spray can that I have used successfully on my Japanese Maple after I bought it from Bunnings in Sept 2011. I think this brand uses white oil at a rate of 50ml per Litre.

Should do the trick.

Cheers,

Brad Jackson.

[stocaz]

Hi Stocaz,

It looks like hard scale (Hemiptera/ Family Diaspididae) according to my book "What Garden pest or disease is that?". Treatment is white oil at rate of 20ml per litre of water according to book. There is a Hortico brand spray in a white spray can that I have used successfully on my Japanese Maple after I bought it from Bunnings in Sept 2011. I think this brand uses white oil at a rate of 50ml per Litre.

Should do the trick.

Cheers,

Brad Jackson.

Thanks for your replies
I hit it with pest oil the other day which is very similar to white oil I think.
I'll keep my eye on it and hope for the best

Cheers Ross